Premium
Effects of atrazine on reproductive performance in the rat
Author(s) -
Šimić Branimir,
Kniewald Jasna,
Kniewald Zlatko
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of applied toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.784
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1099-1263
pISSN - 0260-437X
DOI - 10.1002/jat.2550140603
Subject(s) - atrazine , body weight , estrous cycle , medicine , endocrinology , biology , physiology , mating , cycling , zoology , pesticide , ecology , history , archaeology
The effects of subacute exposure to atrazine on body weight, ovarian cycling, conception rate and the size of litters in Fischer strain rats were studied. An atrazine dose of 120 mg kg −1 body wt given p.o. daily for 7 days to both female and male rats caused statistically significant loss of body weight in both sexes during the period of treatment. After the cessation of treatment the body weight of female rats remained below control body weights at least for 2 weeks. In male rats the difference in body weights narrowed with time and reached control level 5 days after the last dose. Atrazine caused a significant increase in the relative weights of pituitary and prostate. Atrazine also transiently prolonged the oestrous cycle, characterized by extended vaginal dioestrus. As a result of disturbed ovarian cycling, the rate of successful mating decreased in the first week after treatment when both sexes were exposed or exposed females were mated with an unexposed male. No similar effect was observed when only the males were exposed. The size of litters did not differ significantly between experimental groups.